The Lasting Impact of Grandfathers: Class, Occupational Status, and Earnings over Three Generations in Sweden 1815–2011

Abstract

Most research on social and economic mobility follows a two-generation approach, studying the correlations between the socioeconomic status of, for example, fathers and sons. Much less attention has been given to transmissions of status beyond two generations. This issue is of considerable relevance both for our understanding of societal openness and the stability of class structures. In this paper we look at socio-economic mobility across three generations in Sweden in the period 1813-2010. Using longitudinal micro-level data from the Scanian EconomicDemographic Database, we identify three-generation genealogies (grandfather, father, son) that we are able to observe in their prime working ages. We examine the multigenerational transmission of socio-economic status according to three different dimensions; social class, occupational status, and earnings, through estimated lifetime earnings, the HISCLASS scheme, and the HISCAM scale. We find clear associations between grandparental class and occupational status and grandchildren's outcomes, when controlling for the associations between fathers and sons. These associations are remarkably stable over time, and do not appear to be contingent upon close interaction between grandfathers and grandchildren. For earnings, on the other hand, we find no association at all between grandfathers and grandsons, regardless if we are looking at grandparental influence on the paternal or maternal side, or both sides combined

Grandfathers Matter(ed): Occupational Mobility Across Three Generations in the US and Britain, 1850–1911

“…Like Lindahl et al ., they find that long‐run social mobility is lower than the rate suggested by two‐generations of data alone. Dribe and Helgertz () find a similar result for 19th century Sweden with respect to the multi‐generational transmission of occupational status, but find no such relationship when they examine earnings. In addition to these specific studies, Solon () provides a useful review of additional work on multi‐generational mobility, particularly some significantly older studies, and a discussion of different theoretical interpretations of the empirical findings.…”

The Transmission of Inequality Across Multiple Generations: Testing Recent Theories With Evidence From Germany

“…Recently, researchers have begun to provide comprehensive evidence on multigenerational persistence. However, only a few studies are based on direct observations of family links (Dribe and Helgertz, ; Lindahl et al ., ) and these data are typically from small geographic areas. Other researchers thus rely on novel methods to exploit repeated cross‐sections instead .…”

Intergenerational Mobility in the 19th Century: Micro-Level Evidence from the City of Zurich

“…Olivetti and Paserman (2015) analyze fatherdaughter mobility in the 19th century US employing a novel strategy related to first names. Dribe and Svensson (2008), Dribe et al (2015), Helgertz (2016), andLindahl et al (2015) describe mobilty in 19th century Sweden. Among these, Dribe and Helgertz (2016) and Lindahl et al (2015) belong to the fast growing branch of research on multi-generational mobility looking at a potential influence of grandfathers and distant relatives.…”